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White Sox Take UCLA Shortstop Cholowsky No. 1 Overall

7/12/2026

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Summary

Cholowsky Goes No.1

Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Daniel Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft.
Cholowsky became only the third college shortstop ever taken first overall, joining Bill Almon (1974) and Dansby Swanson (2015).
He also marked the fifth UCLA player to be selected No. 1 in an MLB draft.

Summary

White Sox No.1

The White Sox secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft via a December lottery, only the third top-overall selection in franchise history after Danny Goodwin (1971) and Harold Baines (1977).
Chicago’s bonus pool leads the league at $20,489,500.
The first ten picks aired on NBC/Peacock, picks 11-40 on MLB Network, later rounds streamed online while MLB officials said the draft may be the last under current rules.

History

Historical Context

When the San Diego Padres chose shortstop Bill Almon with the No. 1 pick in the 1974 MLB draft—the first shortstop ever taken first overall and one of six shortstops selected in the first round—the draft began shaping team building. In 2026 the Chicago White Sox repeated that rarity, selecting UCLA shortstop Daniel Roch Cholowsky first overall, underscoring the continued scarcity of top-overall shortstops.

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Cholowsky Goes No.1

Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Daniel Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft.
Cholowsky became only the third college shortstop ever taken first overall, joining Bill Almon (1974) and Dansby Swanson (2015).
He also marked the fifth UCLA player to be selected No. 1 in an MLB draft.

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